Crews install osprey platform in Racine County

Crew assembles nesting platform in Racine County.

A pair of ospreys in northwest Racine County now has a new option to call home. Our crews recently installed a nesting platform in the Tichigan Wildlife Area, giving the pair a safer option than atop our utility poles.

Ospreys frequently attempt to nest on top of our equipment, which can result in power outages and harm to the ospreys. Since 1980, our field crews have constructed alternative nest structures for the birds, in areas where nests are known. These efforts have supported the recovery of ospreys, which now exceed more than 500 breeding pairs in Wisconsin alone.

Crew erects completed platform.

The new platform is approximately 60 feet high in an area being restored to native prairie and wetlands overlooking the Fox River and Tichigan Lake. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) staff observed a pair of osprey in this area earlier this year. The hope is that they’ll find and use the new platform next nesting season.

We’re working with the WDNR to erect several new nest platforms in Racine and Kenosha counties on public lands near the Fox River. Ospreys have been observed frequenting these areas in recent years, but have limited nesting opportunities. These additional platforms will aid overall osprey recovery.